DASH diet: Guide to recommended servings

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can help you control your blood pressure.

The DASH diet is rich in grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. It limits total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, and provides plenty of fiber, potassium, calcium and magnesium. The DASH diet also limits sodium to between 1,500 and 2,300 milligrams a day.

Here are recommended servings from each food group for two calorie levels of the DASH diet, along with examples of a serving.

Food group

Servings for 1,600 calories a day

Servings for 2,000 calories a day

Examples of 1 serving

Grains (mainly whole grains)

6 a day

6 to 8 a day

1 slice whole-wheat bread

1 oz. dry cereal

1/2 cup cooked cereal

1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta

Vegetables

3 to 4 a day

4 to 5 a day

1 cup raw leafy green vegetable

1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables

1/2 cup (4 fluid oz.) low-sodium vegetable juice

Fruits

4 a day

4 to 5 a day

1 medium fruit

1/4 cup dried fruit

1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit

1/2 cup (4 fluid oz.) 100% fruit juice

Low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products

2 to 3 a day

2 to 3 a day

1 cup (8 fluid oz.) milk

1 cup yogurt

1 1/2 oz. cheese

Lean meats, poultry and fish

3 to 6 a day

6 or fewer a day

1 oz. cooked lean meat, skinless poultry or fish

1 egg (no more than 4 a week)

2 egg whites

Nuts, seeds and legumes

3 a week

4 to 5 a week

1/3 cup (1.5 oz.) nuts

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons (1/2 oz.) seeds

1/2 cup cooked legumes (dried beans or peas)

Fats and oils*

2 a day

2 to 3 a day

1 teaspoon soft margarine

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 tablespoons salad dressing

Sweets and added sugars

0

5 or fewer a week

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon jelly or jam

1/2 cup sorbet

1 cup (8 fluid oz.) sugar-sweetened lemonade

*The amount of fat in a food changes the serving size for fats and oils. For example, 1 tablespoon of regular salad dressing is one serving, but 1 tablespoon of low-fat dressing is half a serving.

2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/executive-summary/. Accessed April 6, 2016.

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